Metal buildings are increasingly favored in commercial construction for their unique blend of strength, efficiency, and adaptability. Explore why businesses across Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, regions served by companies like E&T Contracting, are turning to metal structures for cost savings, fast construction, design, and long-term value.
Cost-Effective Construction and Maintenance
Metal buildings offer immediate and long-term cost savings for commercial projects. Metal building components are manufactured off-site with precision, reducing on-site labor and construction time, which saves 20-50% compared to traditional building methods. The strength-to-weight ratio also allows for less material usage without compromising structural integrity, leading to reduced waste and overall material costs during the construction process.
Metal structures resist common issues like rot, pests, and mold, reducing repairs and maintenance costs over the building’s lifespan. As long as it’s properly maintained, a metal building can last 40 to 70 years, offering long-term savings. Lastly, metal buildings can be equipped with high-quality insulation systems that can potentially lower HVAC costs by up to 30%.
Metal Buildings Have Exceptional Longevity and Durability
Metal buildings, especially steel structures, surpass the longevity of many wood and concrete structures, which are more susceptible to environmental wear and tear. Steel structures are designed to withstand high winds, heavy snow loads, and seismic activity. Unlike wood, steel is impervious to termites, mold, and mildew, reducing the risk of structural damage over time. And, with its non-combustible nature, steel buildings offer enhanced protection against fire hazards compared to wood structures.
Moreover, the high tensile strength of steel enables it to support substantial loads without compromising structural integrity. This makes them ideal for large-space constructions like warehouses and industrial facilities. Unlike wood that warps or splits under stress, steel maintains its shape and strength over time.
Customization and Flexibility
Metal buildings offer customization and flexibility, making them ideal for a wide range of commercial applications. Their clear span design eliminates the need for interior support columns, allowing for expansive, unobstructed interior spaces, which benefits warehouses, retail spaces, and manufacturing facilities. Interior layouts and floor plans can be easily customized with partitions, mezzanines, or office spaces to suit specific operational needs, which lets one structure various business functions.
Moreover, there are a wide variety of aesthetic customization that give steel buildings incredible flexibility in design. Options include combining materials like brick, stone, stucco, and wood with metal panels to achieve desired styles, while features such as decorative trims, varied rooflines, and custom windows enhance visual appeal and align with specific architectural visions.
Sustainability and Environmental Benefits
Metal buildings offer significant environmental benefits in commercial construction. Steel, the primary material in metal buildings, is 100% recyclable without loss of quality, reducing the demand for virgin resources and minimizing construction waste. They are resistant to mold, mildew, and decay, reducing the need for chemical treatments to prevent them. Additionally, the durability of steel structures means fewer repairs and replacements over time, conserving materials and energy and reducing the negative environmental impact of your operations.
Short Construction Timeline
Metal buildings have shorter construction timelines than wood and concrete buildings. Small to medium-sized structures, like garages or workshops, can be often be erected in just a few days with a small team of builders. Medium to large commercial buildings (at least 50,000 square feet) typically take 2-4 weeks to complete. example. And, large and complex project can often be completed in 3-6 months, which is still faster than traditional construction methods.
This faster construction is due to the components of pre-engineered metal buildings being manufactured off-site. This also simplifies the assembly by reducing the need for extensive on-site modification, that time and labor to accomplish. And, since much of the construction is off-site, pre-engineered metal building projects are less susceptible to weather-related delays and damage caused by harsh weather conditions.
Savings From Tax and Insurance
Under Section 179 Deduction of the IRS tax code, businesses can deduct the full purchase price of qualified commercial metal buildings used for business purposes from their taxable income (up to a certain limit). A business may also qualify for bonus depreciation, which allows for the deduction of a percentage of the building’s cost in the first year it is placed in service.
Additionally, commercial steel building projects may qualify for tax incentives and exemptions in the states of Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
Alabama
Projects utilizing metal structures may qualify for a discretionary tax credit of up to 1.5% of qualified capital investment annually for up to 10 years.
Mississippi
A metal building project can benefit from sales and use tax exemptions for component building materials used in the construction or improvement of facilities.
Tennessee
While not specific to metal structures, projects that incorporate qualified industrial equipment within these buildings may qualify for a sales tax exemption.
Build Smarter with a Commercial Metal Building
From cost efficiency and durability to rapid building process and floor plan flexibility, the advantages of metal construction offer compelling benefits for commercial projects. Their long-term performance and environmental benefits make them a smart investment for businesses across various industries.
If you’re planning a commercial build in Alabama, Mississippi, or Tennessee, contact E&T Contracting to schedule a consultation and explore how a custom or prefab metal building can meet your business needs and building specifications.